


Brother's Keeper

by look_turtles



Category: Person of Interest (TV), due South
Genre: AU, Due South Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-18
Updated: 2013-03-18
Packaged: 2017-12-05 18:13:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/726321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/look_turtles/pseuds/look_turtles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>AU where Benton and Harold are bothers. Inspired by All In, no plot spoilers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brother's Keeper

A forest of green pine trees was covered with snow. Ice stuck to the branches making them look like crystal. A small cabin stood in the middle of the forest like something out of a fairy tale. Outside the cabin the wind blew and snow flakes fell. Inside the cabin, five year old Harold Fraser sat on his mother's bed. The fire in the fireplace crackled and popped.

He breathed deeply the scent of flowers. She was gone and he wondered how long it would take her to come back. His father left for a months at a time and Harold hoped his mother wasn't gone that long. He already missed her hugs and kisses.

Older bother Benton walked into the room.

'What are you doing?' Benton asked.

'Waiting for mother. When will she be back?'

Benton's eyes were red. 'She's not coming back. She died.'

Harold balled up his fists. 'Liar! She'll be back she has to be coming back!'

Pulling on the blankets, Harold wrapped them around himself and it almost felt as if his mother was giving him a warm hug. He felt tears well up in his eyes. She had promised they would bird watch in the Spring, but his brother had never lied to him before and he didn't see why he would now.

Laying down on the bed he cried. Springs squeaked as Benton laid down and put his arms around Harold.

'It'll be okay,' Benton said after Harold's sobs had subsided.

'Really?'

'Yes. Father would never let anything happen to us.'

Harold wanted to believe that, but he wasn't so sure he could. He always thought nothing would happen to his mother either.  
**************

Harold watched his grandfather Abraham repair a watch. Abraham's thick fingers were steady as he moved from piece to piece. Abraham closed the lid of the watch and put it away.

Harold had lived with his grandparents for several months. His brother had gone to live with their other grandparents. Sometimes he wondered if Benton was happy, he hoped so.

The house was different from the cabin. The house was blue with a dark roof, the yard was surrounded by a white fence. Instead of being enclosed by wilderness they were enclosed by the city. A loud and dirty city made of shades of gray. So much gray.

'Abraham, Harold. Dinner time,' Grandmother Mary Todd called from the kitchen.

'Come on,' grandfather said as he picked Harold up and carried him on his shoulders. Harold laughed. He could smell the spicy scent of his grandfather's cologne and everything looked so different from the hight. Maybe someday he would be as tall as his grandfather.

Walking into the kitchen, Abraham kissed his wife. He bent down and Harold slid off his shoulders.

Harold sat at the table that was nicked and scarred from decades of use. He put his napkin on his lap, it took only a moment to be neat after all. The scent of pot roast made his mouth water.

Grandmother gave him a slice of roast and some potatoes.

'Harold. I received a package from Benton today. You can open it after dinner.'

Harold ate his food so fast that he barely tasted it.

After dinner, he took a heavy brown package from his grandmother, carried it into the living-room and ripped it open. A white piece of paper sat on top of several books inside the package. He picked up the paper and saw Benton's flowing script.

_Dear Harold,  
I hope this letter finds you well. I'm in good health myself. Grandfather George and Grandmother Martha are well. I have enclosed several books I thought you might like. Grandmother Martha says I may be able to come visit you this summer._

_Best regards,  
Benton_

Harold grinned as he read his brother's words. He carefully set the note aside and looked at the books. One bound in cracked leather was entitled Call of The Wild another one was entitled A History of Canadian Birds.

He ran his fingers over the bird book and felt tears slide down his cheeks. His mother had promised to read him that book before she died.

Mary Todd came up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder. 'Bad news, Honey?'

'No. It's just... It's just I want my mother.'

'Oh, dear. I know. I miss her too.'

Mary Todd pulled her grandson into a hug. He held tightly to her yellow dress.

After he stopped crying he wiped his eyes. 'Will you read A History of Canadian Birds to me?' Harold could have read the book himself, but I wanted to be read to.

'Of course.'

That night, as Abraham tucked Harold into bed Harold asked 'Why do you like repairing watches?'

Abraham ran his fingers through his gray hair. 'Watches are easy to fix, not like people. If you want I can show how to fix a watch.'

Harold's eyes went wide. 'Really?!'

'Of course, but now it's bed time.'

Abraham turned off the light and Harold settled back against his pillows. The ticking of the grandfather clock in the hallway lulled him to sleep.

Maybe someday he would learn how to fix watches and people.  
**************

Now, Harold sat in the library. They had just saved another number and now it was time to indulge in his favorite pastime.

He opened Ray Kowalski's Facebook and clicked through the pictures of turtles and sled dogs. Benton might not have a digital footprint, he wasn't even sure Benton have a landline, but Benton's partner certainly did. That's not to say he didn't keep tabs on his brother, he had several copies of The Chicago Tribune to attest to that.

He gasped when he came to the wedding pictures. Benton was in his red parade uniform and Ray was in his dress blues. In one picture they were smiling at each other with there arms around a white dog. The way they looked at each other remained him of the way he used to look at Grace.

Thinking about Grace still hurt, but it didn't dampen the way he felt about Ray and Benton and the long life together they would almost certainly have. At least one Fraser brother deserved to grow old with the one he loved.

He often thought that if things had been different perhaps he would be the Mountie married to Ray and Benton would be the computer genius. Just the idea of Benton building his own Machine and saving people never failed to put a smile on Harold's face. According to local papers, Benton saved people and he didn't even need a Machine to do it.

When he had heard about Benton and Ray's wedding he had entertained the idea of flying to Canada and watching the wedding from afar, but he knew that was unadvisable. He knew he would never be able to stay away from his brother and unless Benton was used to seeing ghosts, Harold would have a lot of explaining to do. Sometimes being dead had its drawbacks.

He was so enthralled in clicking through the wedding pictures he didn't hear John come up behind him.

'That a new number?'

Harold turned away from his computer and looked at John. John's dress shirt was unbuttoned at the top and Harold had to resist the urge to run his thumb over John's throat, but when it came to John he had much practice in resisting urges.

'No.'

'Friend of yours?'

'Something like that,' he had said he would never lie to John, but while it wasn't exactly a lie but it wasn't exactly the truth either.

'Okay. I'm going home. See you tomorrow.'

Maybe it was seeing his brother so happy or the thoughts of Grace, but Harold gathered his courage.

'Would your like to have dinner with me?'

'Sure. Want me to order Chinese or Tai?'

'I was thinking more of a romantic dinner.'

'Harold. Are you saying what I think you're saying?'

'I am. It's quite all right if you don't return my affections I just thought you should know.'

'Why now?'

Harold took a deep breath. Perhaps it was time to give away a piece of information that he held as close as a priceless pocket watch. 'My brother married his partner.

John's eyes went wide. 'You have a brother? Is he the Mountie or the cop?'

'The Mountie.'

John grinned. 'Was that so hard?'

'Actually it was. As for my previous question, would you like to have dinner with me?'

John came close and crouched down until he was face to face with Harold. He kissed Harold on the lips, a brush of lips. 'I would,' he said after he broke the kiss.  
***************

Harold and John walked to one many of Harold's apartments. John's hand was pressed against the small of Harold's back. Anyone watching them wouldn't have seen any difference from the many times they had walked together, Harold might still be Mr. Finch and John might still be Mr. Reese, but many things had changed. Their dinner had gone better than Harold had anticipated.

They had eaten at a small French restaurant that Harold just happened to own. John had spent most of the dinner running his foot up and down Harold's leg. They shared a chocolate cake and John had a smudge on the corner of his mouth which Harold rubbed off with his thumb.

Harold unlocked his and stepped inside. As soon as the door was closed John back Harold up to the door.

'Do you kiss on the first date?' John asked jokingly.

'I've been known to.'

John held onto Harold's shoulders and kissed him.

If they're first kiss had been chaste their second kiss was anything but. Lips smashed against each other and when John licked Harold's mouth he opened his mouth and their tongues met. After several long moments they broke apart and the air was full of the sounds of panting.

'Was it good for you?' John said between pants.

'Oh, yes. Perhaps will could kiss on the couch it is much more comfortable.'

'Did I hurt you?'

'No. I just want you to be comfortable.' Harold didn't want John to worry, but his leg was starting to bother him.

'Oh. Okay. Sounds like a plan to me.'

They walked over to Harold's couch, a lumpy, red monstrosity that he had had since collage.

Sitting on the couch, Harold turned and ran his fingers across John throat. His other hand combed through John's stiff hair. They leaned into each other and their lips met.

As they kissed Harold felt himself harden. He broke the kiss because he was much too old to come in his pants like a hormonal teenager.

'Something wrong?' John asked.

Harold felt his cheek heat as he flicked his eyes down to his groin.

'Ah, I see. Want me to take care of that for you?'

'You would do that?'

'Of course. I don't have much experience with gay sex, but I have choked the chicken once or twice.'

Even though John had used a rather ridiculous term for self gratification just the thought of John touching himself made Harold's cock twitch. 

'Ok, you can take care of me. Then I'll take care of you.'

John grinned, reached over and unzipped Harold's pants. He reached inside and pulled out Harold's cock. It was hard and the deep red tip glistened with precome.

He groaned as John wrapped his hand around the cock and stroked upward. John's fingers were rough and the callouses caught on skin.

Harold looked away and concentrated on John's face. If he watched John's hand move up and down he would come in a ridiculously short amount of time. John seemed to be concentrating as well. John looked up and their eyes met. His gaze was so intense, Harold felt as if he was laid bare. It shouldn't have been erotic, they were both still fully clothed, but it was.

Harold shut his eyes and came.

Harold shifted on the couch and keep his eyes closed. He heard John move off the couch and for one moment he thought John was going to leave, but he then heard water run.

John came back and sat on the couch.

'Do you want me to take care of you now?' Harold asked as he opened his eyes and looked at John.

John yawned. 'Maybe later. I need sleep more than sex.'

'Oh. I happen to have a big bed.'

'How big of a bed?'

'Big enough for the both of us. Let's go to bed.'

Harold lead them to the bedroom. They stripped down to their boxers and even though they had just had sex it seemed strangely intimate.

They climbed into bed and John used Harold's chest as a pillow. Harold found himself combing his fingers through John's hair. As he fell asleep he hoped Benton was as happy with Ray as he was with John.


End file.
